By Akshara
June 16, 2026
While traditional monkey bread is a sweet cinnamon treat, this savoury variation transforms the classic pull-apart loaf into a dramatic, buttery masterpiece bursting with garlic and herbs. By coating individual balls of yeast dough in rich melted butter, minced garlic, and a blend of Italian seasonings, they bake together in a bundt tin into a beautifully golden, cohesive ring. Every single pull-apart bite delivers a crisp exterior and a soft, pillowy crumb, making it the perfect interactive centrepiece for dinner parties.
500g store-bought or homemade white bread dough  1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted  4 garlic cloves, finely minced  2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped  1 tsp dried Italian herbs (oregano and rosemary)  1/2 cup mature cheddar or Parmesan, finely grated  A pinch of coarse sea salt
Punch down your risen bread dough and divide it into small, uniform portions, rolling each piece with your palms into a neat ball roughly the size of a walnut.
Combine the melted unsalted butter, minced garlic, chopped parsley, dried Italian herbs, and a pinch of sea salt in a medium bowl to create the aromatic coating.
Grease a standard bundt tin or loaf pan thoroughly with a little extra butter to prevent the dough from sticking to the sides during baking.
Dip each dough ball into the warm garlic-herb butter, coating it completely, then layer them loosely into the prepared tin, scattering the grated cheese between the layers.
Cover the tin with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for 30 minutes until puffy, then bake at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes until the top is deeply golden, crisp, and bubbling.